I'm jumping the fence

[Sailor]

I've always stated how much I liked the flexibility of my bimini and the amount of shade it gives, but an opportunity to get a T-top has just fallen in my lap. I've got it at a good price, and it is only two years old. Today I was down looking at it and the guy said he had a leaning post he had to get rid of as well. Guess who snagged that one up? Yep, I'm going to be installing a new t-top and leaning post in my boat real soon!! I'll post pics when it's in. I had to remove my windshield as the t-top was custom built for a Mako 20 without a windshield and instead uses a large eisenglass windshield which goes from the bottom of the t-top to the top of the console. oh yeah, the top is only two years old!!

I'm thinking about installing all the electronics first in the electronics box and then installing the t-top. Anyone think this is a good or bad idea?

[warthog5]

The Chartplotter is one you don't want up there. You want it so it's not so hard on your neck, from looking up all the time. Reports have also come back for those that wear Bifocals [me] that it's a real pain looking up all the time.

[Sailor]

Good advice. I was planning on putting the CD player, VHF and depth finder up there. The chartplotter has a fuel flow meter and my eyes are *always* on it so it has to stay down on the console. I'm just hoping I can get away with the Navman for a little while since it has an internal antenna. The top is a stretched canvas so I'm hoping it will shoot through it.

[warthog5]

Does it work well with the Bemini top up?

[Strick]

Do your self a favor and use the electronics box for anything but electronics. I keep jackets, thermous, etc.. up there. I have mounted the chart plotter so it hangs from the bottom of the electronics box and that worked out ok. Most of my buddies have taken their dealer installed electronics out of the box and mounted them on the consel for the reasons that Bobby mentioned.

Strick

[Steve W.]

I know that I don't have a lot of experience here but let me put my $.02 in.

I am planning on putting a t-top on this winter and here is what I am planning on putting in the radio box.

VHF-almost never look at

CD Player- almost never look at

Fish Finder- I want it up in the air so that when there are a couple of people in the boat and we are drift fishing everyone can see it. To watch the bottom contour.

I don't know if I will regret it once it's done. And I may change my mind a hundred times, but these are my thoughts right now.

[Sailor]

quote:

---

Originally posted by warthog5


Does it work well with the Bemini top up?

---

Yes it does, but if someone leaned over the console directly over it, it lost the satellites.

[tuskanraider]

I guess it depends on how you use your boat. If you take on a lot of spray, put everything up there, high and dry. I fish a lot during cold fronts, 6 ft seas common, you get a lot of spray. It is a pain to see the GPS, but it would get drenched anywhere else.

[RingLeader]

I have my GPS antenna for my Furuno unit mounted on my dash... behind the unit right next to the windshield... all this is below the aluminum radio box and canvas of the T-top. It works great. Acquires satellites faster than my Garmin unit which has the antenna mounted on the T-top.

[oldcapt]

VHF is OK, Stereo too..... Plotter or Fishfinder, good grief nooooooo. If you do install them in overhead electronics box you will pay with achey breaky neck. That's if you have 2020 vision, if not, add additional squintey eye problems. Both my main electric panel and VHF are in the overhead box with good results. Gotta see my 582L very clearly, at my age.

[Trident]

Sailor-

Mount your electronics wherever they're most convenient for you to view based on your height. Considering that I am 6'4", it is much easier for me to glance up at my electronics box versus looking down at the CPAC. I also did not mount them on the top of the console because sight is already restricted with that beefy Mako windshield frame and the t-top legs.

[warthog5]

Dang Ed somehow I never imagend that you were 6'-4". I'm a little short shit. 5'-6". You would hit your head on the underside of my hardtop.

[oldcapt]

Sailor, I have a pretty fair amount of experience with these things, but it's all been from a 5' 10" point of view. Ed is right. I stand corrected and retract my "statement". RATs!

[RingLeader]

I with the oldcapt, we are the same height[]

[Sailor]

Well dang...I'm in 5'9" so I guess I'll just have to try it and see what I like best. I think I'll put the FF in the box since it is an older CRT and needs a dark place for optimal viewing.